46 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 
year, and in both years the proportion was almost exactly the 
same, namely, one yellow to every twenty-five with the red 
band. Limacodes asellus, with pupa-case; bred (for the 
first time) from pupe found at Marlow, Bucks, attached to 
the leaves of the beech. Nola albulalis; taken near London. 
Nonagria brevilinea; taken at Horning Fen, Norfolk. Two 
of the specimens exhibited were without the characteristic 
short line at the base of the wing. Pterophorus rhododac- 
tylus, with pupa-case; bred. Mr. Weir exhibited specimens 
of Mantis religiosa, with two of the egg-cases; found by 
himself at Meran, in the Tyrol, in September last. 
Printers’ Wooden Letters Perforated—Myr. M‘Lachlan 
exhibited a printer’s wooden letter, such as is used for 
printing posting-bills, perforated by a species of Anobium, 
and he was informed that the insect was causing serious 
damage to the printer’s stock of these letters. The wood was 
believed to be pear-tree. He had recommended soaking the 
letters in a mixture of carbolic acid and water. 
[This is a very common occurrence, and an evil very 
difficult to remove. It is not confined to letters, but extends 
to, and is infinitely more injurious to, frames and cases (I use 
printer’s phraseology). The genera Ptinus, Ptilinus, Niptus, 
Anobium, Gibbium, and Mezium,—in other words, beetles of 
the families Ptinide and Anobidea,—seem to confine their 
attention to old and well-seasoned wood, and to require 
strong measures, whether for prevention or cure. Kyanising 
is effectual for both purposes, but impossible to apply in 
small doses; boiling, spirits of turpentine, camphine, and 
benzole, are effectual for the latter; carbolic acid is useless. 
I have previously remarked that longicorns (Cerambycidz) 
attack only living and growing wood, and this also may 
possibly be the case with Buprestidae. Lucanus, Dorcus, 
Sinodendron (Lucanidz), devour wood in a dying state, and 
hasten its decay. Cetonia, Gnorimus, and Trichius (Ceto- 
nid), eat dead, actually rotten, wood. Of course in all these 
instances I allude to those beetles in the larval condition. 
For the Cerambycide no cure or preventive has yet been 
found. The Lucanide and Cetoniade do us little or, 
perhaps, no injury; and therefore a remedy is not required. 
—Edward Newman.} 
Pselaphide and Scydmenide from Australia.—Dr. Sharp 
